Almost one-third (32%) of employers say soft skills have the highest impact on the effectiveness of their organisation, meaning they could be the differentiator between a successful or failed job search.
A media release from Hays says that according to the 2019/20 Hays Salary Guide, while more employers (53%) rate technical skills as having the highest impact, soft skills still carry a lot of weight in hiring decisions.
Of the almost 900 employers in New Zealand surveyed for the Hays Salary Guide, over two-thirds – or 67% – of those who intend to add permanent staff to their organisation this financial year want candidates with problem solving skills. Another 60% want strong communication skills and 51% want critical thinking skills.
“Technical skills aren’t all it takes to get a new job,” says Adam Shapley, managing director of Hays in New Zealand. “While technical capabilities ensure you can do a job, it’s soft skills that allow someone to share and discuss ideas, forge effective relationships with stakeholders, work with others to solve problems and accurately look at information to come to the best conclusion.”
“It’s these soft skills that allow someone to function well in a workplace. They distinguish candidates who otherwise possess similar technical skills and so play a vital role in your job search and subsequent career progression,” he says.
https://www.hays.net.nz/press-releases
